"What is this game-like panel? Is this… my golden finger? It seems to be connected to that strange scene I saw when I crossed over…"
Fang Xing's heart stirred, and then—Countless insights about the Great Dragon Stake technique surfaced in his mind.He suddenly felt strength flooding back into his limbs and bones, like a dried-up canal being filled with fresh water. At least now, he wouldn't faint immediately.
"I see… Even though I inherited the original host's mind and muscle memory completely, when I actually used them, it still felt different. My mind knew the technique, my hands knew the moves… but without coordination, my skill regressed."
"But now, with this attribute panel, my skills are permanently locked in—my proficiency will only increase, never decline."
"Only now can I truly say I've fully taken over everything from the original host… even his martial arts."
"If only I could add stat points…"Fang Xing felt a twinge of greed, but after searching around, he couldn't find any option to add points. He could only give up for now.
"Alright, thirty minutes are up."
A few minutes later, Xia Long's shout brought relief to all the students holding their stances. One by one, they relaxed.Liu Wei even collapsed onto the ground, drenched in sweat and panting heavily.
Fang Xing, on the other hand, was doing much better. His legs felt a little weak, but he didn't need to lie down.
"Axing, your stake stance seems stronger than before. You've been practicing in secret at home, haven't you?"Liu Wei teased when he saw his partner-in-suffering still standing.
"This is just my normal level!"Fang Xing replied between heavy breaths, though in his heart he added:"It's just… this is Fang Xing at his peak."
A person's condition fluctuates, but with the attribute panel fixing it, his state would always be at its best!To Liu Wei, it simply looked like Fang Xing had improved again.
"Heh, your stance might be a bit better than mine, but that won't necessarily be the case for the next drill."Liu Wei chuckled, getting back on his feet.
At this moment, Xia Long barked another command:"Don't lie down! You're in the perfect state right now. Get up and train—the Twelve Forms of Military Boxing. First form: Bow Stance Cannon Punch!"
Fang Xing's spine arched like a bow, the large tendons along his body taut like bowstrings.His right hand closed into a fist, joints cracking audibly. He imagined his body as a great bow, launching his fist forward.
Pa!
The punch landed, and the air ahead of him gave off a muffled pop, startling Liu Wei beside him.
"Axing, how did you… get this strong?"
Xia Long saw that quite a few students in the class had managed to produce a punch sound. The lines on his face softened slightly.
"Good… The Ancient Boxing Manual says: 'A single punch sound is worth a thousand gold.'If you can make that sound, in ancient times you'd each be considered bright-force martial artists—able to take on ten men.
"But it's not enough! Far from enough!"
"Why is this first form called the 'Cannon Punch'? The bow stance is just the entry stage. Imagining your body as a bow is just the beginning. You must imagine yourself as a cannon—use the 'heart fire' to ignite your blood and qi as gunpowder, and fire your fist as the cannonball!"
As he spoke, Xia Long demonstrated.
Boom!
It was still the Bow Stance Cannon Punch, but the air seemed to explode like a real shell had gone off.Fang Xing felt his eardrums ache, and even his heart felt compressed, leaving him short of breath.
"That punch… easily carries the weight of twenty years of cultivation. I couldn't block it…"
Xia Long retracted his fist and stood tall."When you can produce a true 'Cannon Punch'—a sound worth ten thousand gold—you'll have mastered the small success stage of this form. The key is the 'heart fire,' using the heart as the engine to drive your qi and blood…"
As he explained, he walked behind a student and casually pressed a palm to the student's back.
The student's face flushed red instantly, and they threw out a punch. It didn't produce the cannon sound, but the crisp pop was noticeably louder.
"This kind of hands-on instruction… no projection could compare. But it seems like only students who manage to produce a punch sound get this treatment…"
As Fang Xing was thinking this, Xia Long came up behind him and placed his fingers on Fang Xing's back.
"Punch!"
Instantly, Fang Xing felt heat bloom in his chest—like gunpowder catching flame, desperate to explode outward.
"Hah!"
He let out a low shout and punched, leaving him slightly drained afterward.
"Not bad. Next time, watch your footwork…"Xia Long gave a brief pointer before moving on to a female student.
Fang Xing plopped down on the ground, gulping in air, but he couldn't hide the excitement in his heart.
He focused on his attribute panel and found the Military Boxing entry.
[Twelve Forms of Military Boxing: 56/100 (Beginner)]
"Proficiency… increased by 1 point?"
"If I do this a few dozen more times, I could perfect the beginner stage and move to the next level?"
"But… if I do this a few dozen times, my body will give out…"
Feeling the soreness in his arms, Fang Xing shook his head slightly.
Suddenly, his eyes narrowed.
At the very bottom of the panel, a new, strange symbol appeared.
The rune seemed formed from twisted lines, vaguely resembling the outline of a mirror.
When he focused on it, a new line of text emerged:
[Gate of All Worlds: 1/100 (Capturing…)]
(End of chapter)